Suga Leaves Team Jackson to Start Own Team

Originally Posted by flo

How would we have felt if Pat had brought GSP into MFS?

[flo]

Originally Posted by Miss Foxy

Exactly!

Originally Posted by flo

Exactly!

The more and more I read and hear about this the more pissed I am getting. I think for Rashad or anybody that sucked! Bonnies post was on point. I feel bad for this guy, but now he needs to work extra hard and go out there with pure confidence. This is going to be a hard fight for Rashad.

Originally Posted by flo

How would we have felt if Pat had brought GSP into MFS?

I'd feel like both Matt and GSP would both be even better than they already are. They would have been training with someone at the very top level in their weight class. Steel sharpens steel.

Originally Posted by County Mike

I'd feel like both Matt and GSP would both be even better than they already are. They would have been training with someone at the very top level in their weight class. Steel sharpens steel.

I think it's a conflict of interest. You are supposed to have your coaches/trainers 100% behind you not sitting out.

[VCURamFan]

Originally Posted by flo

How would we have felt if Pat had brought GSP into MFS?

Here's an even better correlation: what if the UFC had told Pat "Hey, we know you're supposed to get a shot at reclaiming your belt, but we'd rather let this young up-and-comer Matt Hughes take a shot instead."

I mean, Pat's immediate reaction was to switch weight-classes in order to make room for Matt's shot (as was Rashad's). Matt was also kind of on the flip side, because Pat brought in Robbie, who was about 18yrs old & KOing everyone he faced. He was tearing through the UFC WW division while Matt was champ, but he refused to fight Matt.

What we have here is a situation in which Jones, in an interview, said he'd fight Rashad rather than lose his job (if it was a choice between unemployment or 25min fighting a teammate, I'd fight, too). Rashad then got upset & took his ball home to play in a sullen corner.

They still don't have to fight each other. Rashad could have said "I'm glad he's willing to fight me, but I don't want that to be an issue. I'm moving to _____weight,"

Originally Posted by VCURamFan

Here's an even better correlation: what if the UFC had told Pat "Hey, we know you're supposed to get a shot at reclaiming your belt, but we'd rather let this young up-and-comer Matt Hughes take a shot instead."

I mean, Pat's immediate reaction was to switch weight-classes in order to make room for Matt's shot (as was Rashad's). Matt was also kind of on the flip side, because Pat brought in Robbie, who was about 18yrs old & KOing everyone he faced. He was tearing through the UFC WW division while Matt was champ, but he refused to fight Matt.

What we have here is a situation in which Jones, in an interview, said he'd fight Rashad rather than lose his job (if it was a choice between unemployment or 25min fighting a teammate, I'd fight, too). Rashad then got upset & took his ball home to play in a sullen corner.

They still don't have to fight each other. Rashad could have said "I'm glad he's willing to fight me, but I don't want that to be an issue. I'm moving to _____weight,"

Still doesn't jive with me. You can use Matt as an example all you want. This is just very shady of Jackson not Jones. Jackson has always been slimy IMHO.

[VCURamFan]

Originally Posted by Miss Foxy

still doesn't jive with me. You can use Matt as an example all you want. This is just very shady of Jackson not Jones.

I'm just saying that there have been instances before of teammates switching weight classes rather than fighting one another. I'm also saying that there are cases for teammates refusing to fight one another. There are also cases (mainly in TUF ) of fighter from the same team having to face each other. I'm not blaming Jon for being willing to fight, I'm not blaming Rashad for changing his mind about switching classes, I'm not blaming Rashad for wanting to leave Team Jackson. The only thing that I've not liked is Rashad being upset that Jones was included in the first place.

That being said, I can understand your distaste with Jackson. I guess it's a matter of how you look at things: is Jackson Rashad's coach, or is Rashad Jackson's fighter, know what I mean? Rashad seems to think (and this is also your view, I think) that it's the fighter first, with the coachs merely as a support staff (ie., Jackson is Rashad's coach). If that's the case, then Jackson bringing in a guy who would pull his focus away from his primary is pretty sheisty.

However, if the focus is the coach & the camp, with the fighters as members of a stable (ie, Rashad is Jackson's fighter), then Jackson was simply doing the smart thing in recruiting the hot talent before another team got ahold of him (like college coaches sending scouts to high school games).

And I don't think that there's a hard-and-fast answer across the board. I mean, for BJ & Matt, it's clearly the former. For Team Jackson, ATT & AKA, however, I think it's more of the latter. It's just a matter of knowing which you'd rather be part of & finding a gym that meshes with you.

Originally Posted by Miss Foxy

Still doesn't jive with me. You can use Matt as an example all you want. This is just very shady of Jackson not Jones. Jackson has always been slimy IMHO.

You mean greasy....right?

[Spiritwalker]

Originally Posted by flo

How would we have felt if Pat had brought GSP into MFS?

Big difference.. that was a TEAM.. Jackson's is a camp..